impote . on the broadcast tonight, what happened more than two weeks after that deadly attack on americans in benghazi. the unanswered questions that are not going away. and the new demand for answers. hitting home, a stark reminder today of the struggle so many americans are facing, even if they have a job. where is jimmy hoffa, an enduring american mystery, tonight, why they're digging into the evidence. and an extraordinary suggestion from the head of apple. and making a difference, under the friday night lights, something everybody can hear about. nightly news begins now.

good evening, i'm savannah guthrie, in tonight for brian. it has been more than two weeks since the u.s. ambassador to libya and three other americans were killed at the u.s. consulate in benghazi. tonight, a rare reversal, tonight, the intelligence officials say they originally got it wrong. patience, with the investigation, and shifting explanations from the administration. tonight, members of congress from both parties are demanding answers, and on the ground in libya, the american officials sent to piece this case together can't even get to the scene of the attack. we begin tonight with our justice correspondent, pete williams in washington, good evening. >> reporter: savannah, it is a very unusual statement, the top officials admitted today that the attacks that were spontaneous were wrong, but getting answers to exactly what did happen has not been that

easy. the u.s. understanding of what happened in libya said a spokesperson for the director of national intelligence continues to evolve. tonight, the dni says "we revised our initial assessment to reflect the intelligence." they believe it was an organized attack, and some involved were linked with groups with al-qaeda. but it is not known if any single group or groups were in charge of the attack, a change from the original claim that a copy-cat demonstration spun out of control. >> what happened in benghazi was a reaction to what had just happened hours before in cairo. >> reporter: mitt romney says it raises questions to how the first statements could be so wrong. >> there was a great deal of confusion about that from the very beginning on the part of the administration. and whether that was something they were trying to paper over, or whether it was instead just

confusion to give an uncertain intelligence report, time will tell. >> reporter: intelligence officials tonight say they offered their honest assessment at the time, and warned that the information was preliminary. republicans note that even the democrat whose chairman of the senate foreign relations committee, john kerry, wants more answers, co-signing a bipartisan letter asking for more details. but he told nbc's andrea mitchell that it should not be a partisan issue. >> the republicans are working overtime to try to exploit a very normal, run of the course, administrative letter that we agreed to on a bipartisan basis in our committee, simply to get some additional questions put in front of the state department. >> reporter: republicans also question how good the investigation can be when security concerns have stopped an fbi team from getting to the crime scene, having to work instead from libya's capitol

city of tripoli, 400 miles away. a official said that while that is limited, it is more important to question people in libya thought to know about the attack. and he says the process is yielding more valuable information. one other note, peter king, chairman of the house committee, said that ambassador susan wright should resign because of her statement. all right, we want to turn to andrea mitchell, chief foreign correspondent, and andrea how rare is it for the intelligence committee to come out and acknowledge they got it wrong initially, and is it having any effect on the response here? >> reporter: well, first of all it is very, very rare for them to make this type of admission. and politics are clearly in play. the questions are being asked, why did they get it wrong? was it because of a coverup, or

was it because they were trying to avoid acknowledging mistakes this close to the election? so there is always a political consequence, and certainly's tonight, the white house is strongly defending susan wright, but she is in the cross-hairs of the political argument and that will be pursued by the republicans who have been hammering away for days saying that the administration deliberately covered up. something the white houses strongly denying. all right, andrea mitchell, thank you, we want to let you know about a special broadcast in the works for monday. brian will be here to bring you a series of reports we're calling "at the brink" including ann curry, and richard engel in syria, and more. a hard look at some of the most disastrous conflicts in the world, and here at home, special coverage will start sunday on nightly news. and on the presidential campaign trail today, mitt romney acknowledges he is fighting an uphill battle in the

battleground state of pennsylvania, but he maintains he can win there, as attention is already turning to the debates next week, which could be a game-changer. good evening, peter. >> reporter: savannah, good evening to you, this weekend both mitt romney and the president have light schedules planned. instead, they will be hunkering down in private, focusing on trying to refine their message ahead of next week's debate, that will be watched by the largest audience that either of them has seen all campaign. rallying supporters in pennsylvania this afternoon, mitt romney made this bold promise. >> you're right, they're wrong, and we'll win pennsylvania and take the white house. >> reporter: but for that to happen with polls showing him trailing the president, analysts say romney must change the trajectory of the race. in a discussion, he acknowledged this is an important opportunity. >> and i think it will give people a chance to understand where we actually stand, as opposed to where our opposition

thinks we stand. and then they can make a more informed choice. >> reporter: while both candidates are practicing in private, president obama held a closed-door session this afternoon. and publicly their campaigns are showering the opponents with praise. a message from one expert outlines romney's skills as a prepared, aggressive, debater. the romney campaign is touting president obama's natural gifts and the extensive seasoning under the bright lights of the bright stage. today, in a mock debate, senator john kerry dismissed the idea that the republican nominee is an experienced debater, pointing to more than 20 debates. >> oh please, just give me 20 breaks, not just one. >> reporter: but analysts saying given the state of the race, the burden may be on the challenger. >> he has to do something to get people to take a deep breath, and say wait a minute, well, i thought i made a decision about supporting the president but maybe i better look a second

time at mitt romney, that is what he needs to do. >> reporter: and one other thing on today's flight this evening, mitt romney said that people tend to during the debates, focus on the small things, like the color of one's tie, or even dramatic one-liners. but if he can get a handle on the debate, he is confident he will win this thing. >> all right, in a suburb outside minneapolis a community is reeling after a man who was fired from his job yesterday morning returned to work with a gun, opening fire on his colleagues. when it was all over, six people were dead, including the gunman. nbc's kevin tibbles reports. >> reporter: today, police removed the body of those killed in yesterday's killing spree. it happened at accent signage systems, where an employee let go that morning returned and opened fire. >> the obvious signs of conflict in there, it was a hellish time.

>> reporter: the shooter killed five, among them the company's owner, a grandfather. >> reuben was a very important part of this business, he was born in israel and came to this country to live the american dream. >> reporter: an immigrant who started his business in his basement. >> he was something who climbed the ladder of success in his business and tried to help people in the business, as well. >> reporter: another person, the driver of the ups truck, on the premises. he was described as a gentle spirit, with ups for nine years. >> he is well known to many. >> reporter: the suspected gunman killed himself in the basement, his parents say he struggled with mental illness. >> our hearts go out to the families of the people killed, and those wounded in this tragedy. nothing we can say can make up for their loss. >> reporter: neighbors who

watched in horror as employees ran for their lives, are grateful nobody else was dead. >> i am grateful there were so many people who did survive and save each other's lives. >> reporter: tonight, two shooting victims are in the hospital in critical and serious condition. as a community mourns. kevin tibbles, nbc news, minneapolis. and in massachusetts tonight, a drug lab scandal sending shock waves through the state's criminal justice system. a state police chemist is accused of altering tests and listing some sam am the as positive, even though she never tested them. more than 1100 inmates are currently serving time in drug cases she worked on. and officials acknowledge many of those inmates may now have to be released. a sign of the times in los angeles these past couple of days. a sports arena transformed into

the world's biggest doctor's office. thousands showed up to receive free health care services, a lot of them actually have jobs, but they either have no insurance, or even with it their medical care is too expensive. more on the story. >> reporter: ken williams had not seen the dentist in four years. >> just get the wrist band -- >> reporter: today, he waited with thousands of others at the largest health care clinic in the country to get the root canal he could never afford. >> it needs to be done, it is almost close to 2 or $4,000. >> reporter: the volunteers at this free temporary health clinic in los angeles, say many here have a job but not insurance. >> they're unemployed, people who are employed, people who are working two jobs. every ethnic group in america, a cross section of people in

america. >> reporter: but this person has diabetes, no health care. >> i am employed full-time but can't afford to pay my medical insurance. >> reporter: in four days, this medical clinic will serve nearly 5,000 people. but volunteers say this is just a drop in the bucket. >> reporter: in california alone, 7.4 million americans are uninsured. across the country, the number is nearly 48 million. today, affordable insurance for many? >> and can you read this bottom line right here? >> reporter: remains out of sight. >> many high deductible plans have $5,000 deductibles for a single person and ten,000 for a family, where they can't afford it. >> reporter: experts say this is part of a working family. >> i have two jobs, believe it or not. >> reporter: this man came to the temporary clinic with his brother, mother and father. >> feel lucky, knowing that something so expensive is given to you at the palm of your hands, it is free. >> reporter: a temporary fix for

a long-term problem, ailing the country. nbc news, los angeles. still ahead as nightly news continues on a friday night. the search is he buried under a shed in detroit? the latest attempt to end the 37-year-old mystery of jimmy hoffa. and later, girls cheering on other girls and making a difference.

if we want to improve our schools... ...what should we invest in? maybe new buildings? what about updated equipment? they can help, but recent research shows... ...nothing transforms schools like investing in advanced teacher education. let's build a strong foundation. let's invest in our teachers so they can inspire our students. let's solve this. anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. approved! [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'. how they'll live tomorrow. for more than 116 years,

ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪

it is one of the most famous and enduring american mysteries, what happened to jimmy hoffa, the teamster's boss who went missing without a trace in 19 # 5. well, now investigators are back on the case just outside detroit. and nbc's john yang is there. >> reporter: could these six-foot cylinders with dark, muddy water, six feet in diameter, hold the answer to the mystery of jimmy hoffa? this man said he saw the body buried years ago, and where ground-penetrating radar showed something, two feet deep. >> we're just doing our job, we had credible information and had to follow through with it. >> reporter: police said when he disappeared in 1975, there was a different shed, the floor was dirt, covered with concrete. it is about 20 miles from where hoffa was last seen, apparently

lured by two mob figures, since then, he has been famous, and his organized crime ties and federal court convictions in the '60s. jack nicoleson portrayed him in the 1992 movie, hoffa. >> he was a real enemy of american society and a real threat to this country. >> reporter: legends also surround his death, some saying his final resting place has been a giant stadium in new jersey, or detroit's center. >> the stories are huge. >> reporter: and so is the search, in 2003, investigators dug under a swimming pool in northern michigan, in 2004, they ripped up the floor of a detroit house. and in 2006, they tore down a michigan horse barn. each time, they found nothing. investigators hope they will know next week whether the 37-year search for hoffa could finally be over.

john yang, nbc news, roseville, michigan. and up next, the apology a lot of apple customers have been waiting for. i have a cold, and i took nyquil,

but i'm still stubbed up. [ male announcer ] truth is, nyquil doesn't unstuff your nose. what? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus liquid gels speeds relief to your worst cold symptoms plus has a decongestant for your stuffy nose. thanks. that's the cold truth! i had[ designer ]eeling enough of just covering up my moderate to severe thanks. plaque psoriasis. i decided enough is enough. ♪ [ spa lady ] i started enbrel. it's clinically proven to provide clearer skin. [ rv guy ] enbrel may not work for everyone -- and may not clear you completely, but for many, it gets skin clearer fast, within 2 months,

and keeps it clearer up to 9 months. [ male announcer ] because enbrel®, etanercept, suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal, events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. if you've had enough, ask your dermatologist about enbrel. a west virginia casino spending a fortune... to stop question seven. they don't want competition. the washington post wrote the casino behind the ads is... "most concerned with its own bottom line." and the baltimore sun says it "doesn't have maryland... taxpayers' interests at heart."

so when you see these ads remember... they're about what's good for west virginia's casino... not maryland. vote for maryland jobs and schools. vote for question seven. this was the scene at m & t stadium in baltimore last night. the crowd was cheering for the referees. the real referees, that is, working the first game since the settlement end attend lockout by the nfl owners, which made everybody realize how important their job is. let's hope they enjoyed that moment. because about three minutes into the game after a call against the ravens, the real referees heard a more familiar sound, booing. for a company flying high on the height and success of its iphone 5 launch, a rare and dramatic comedown today. apple ceo issued a public apology for the new mass application that has had users

alternatively outraged and confused. among them, huey long bridge on land, and elsewhere, the tillman bridge seems to plunge into the river. and we don't know what happened to the brooklyn bridge. tonight, the message, we can hear you now. i guess it is one app, but does it say something larger about the company? >>. >> reporter: in a way it does, apple is really good at hardware and software, making it work, but they have not been that good at internet services. mobile me didn't go so well four years ago that they tried to improve. and ping, the musical social network, maybe you never heard of it but they basically are shutting it down. they are not as good at this as they are the actual phones. >> and they're basically telling people to go ahead and get google maps? >>.

>> reporter: yes, and no, they're saying there are flaws with the map. tim cook said that, by the way, there are things you can download, other options, i think they're doing that because they know that if people feel they have options they may look at apple's apps in another light. but if they feel they have other options, they feel maybe they can give with it. >> all right, covering apple's apology, thank you. and coming up next, the sparkle effect that is making a difference. [ male announcer ] this is anna, her long day teaching the perfect swing

begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye. which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. and every day since, two years ago, the people of bp made a commitment to the gulf. we've worked hard to keep it. bp has paid over twenty-three billion dollars to help people and businesses who were affected, and to cover cleanup costs. today, the beaches and gulf are open for everyone to enjoy --

and many areas are reporting their best tourism seasons in years. we've shared what we've learned with governments and across the industry so we can all produce energy more safely. i want you to know, there's another commitment bp takes just as seriously: our commitment to america. bp supports nearly two-hundred-fifty thousand jobs in communities across the country. we hired three thousand people just last year. bp invests more in america than in any other country. in fact, over the last five years, no other energy company has invested more in the us than bp. we're working to fuel america for generations to come. today, our commitment to the gulf, and to america, has never been stronger. is efficiently absorbed in small continuous amounts. citracal slow release continuously releases calcium plus d with efficient absorption in one daily dose. citracal slow release.

time for the making a difference report, and on this friday night when so many high school football games are being played across the country, we meet a group of cheerleaders raising everybody's spirits. they have opened their arms and their hearts to some special classmates and are making a difference in the process. more on the story. >> reporter: maybe the moves are not quite together, the jumps are a little low. and there is way too much goofing around at practice before the big game. at pleasant valley high school,

cheerleading is all about hugs. as two teams train and perform as one, the varsity, and the group of girls with something special, special needs like autism and downs syndrome. a team called the sparkle. >> it is so much fun to get to perform together, it is awesome. >> reporter: this program was not started by a teacher or parent, but by the students themselves, who then created a nonprofit called "the sparkle effect," to help the other schools start their own groups. and they have. these are cheerleader teams across the country. now 72 teams across the states. >> we have seen teams across the country, you know, open their arms and hearts to these girls from day one. >> reporter: the friday night lights shine brightly where all the girls get a warm welcome. >> on the sidelines, during the game, they all perform as one

team. there is no segregation. and that is as exciting as anything that happens out on the football field. >> reporter: for these students, cheering convinced them they could do anything. >> it has changed her life. i said this opportunity has given her the chance to grow in confidence that was unbelievable to all of us. >> reporter: the surprise, maybe, what everybody else is getting. >> it is the best feeling in the world to see the girls just smile. >> reporter: valuing connection over perfection. >> it is fun and -- i like it. >> reporter: when everyone gets to cheer. >> yeah! >> reporter: nbc news, iowa. >> and that is our broadcast for this friday night. thank you for joining us, brian williams will be back here on monday. i'm savannah guthrie, for everyone here at nbc news, have a good weekend and good night.